1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, and more particularly, to an endoscope apparatus that performs white balance adjustment based on an image pickup signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Endoscope apparatuses having an endoscope and a light source device or the like are conventionally widely used in the medical field or the like. Endoscope apparatuses in the medical field in particular are mainly used by users for the purpose of performing treatment such as intravital inspection and observation.
In inspection and observation or the like using an endoscope apparatus in general, white balance adjustment is performed beforehand to adjust variations in sensitivity of a solid image pickup device of an endoscope, variations in optical characteristics of filters and lenses or the like in a light source device, variations in color reproduction due to variations in chromatic aberration when the endoscope and the light source device are connected. Such white balance adjustment is normally performed as adjustment corresponding to the type of illuminating light used for observation (RGB light, narrow band light, excitation light for exciting fluorescence or the like) and/or light quantity or the like. The aforementioned white balance adjustment is performed beforehand also when treatment such as inspection and observation is performed using an endoscope apparatus disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-124755.
On the other hand, as a light source device used for an endoscope apparatus, one provided with a diaphragm disposed on the optical path of a light source such as a lamp is widely used. Furthermore, for inspection and observation or the like using an endoscope apparatus, light adjustment control is conventionally performed which adjusts the aperture of the aforementioned diaphragm and thereby increases/decreases the light quantity of illuminating light emitted from the light source device. An endoscope apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-124755 also uses a light source device incorporating a diaphragm and performs light adjustment control by adjusting the aperture of the diaphragm.